This easy-peasy bake is one of my favourite dishes to whip up for vegetarian guests. You can make it with dried herbs, if you can’t get hold of any fresh ones, though it tastes noticeably more tasty with the fresh. If you’re not catering for vegetarians, it also tastes really nice with some minced lamb thrown in, though so far we have looked in vain for any here in Berlin.

Ingredients

vegetable oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 aubergine

2 large tomatoes

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

200g feta cheese

handful fresh basil

handful fresh flat leaf parsley

salt & pepper

100g grated cheese (e.g. cheddar, mozzarella, emmentaler)

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (180° for a fan oven).

Chop the aubergine into cubes and fry with the garlic in some vegetable oil until it begins to soften.

Chop the tomatoes into eights, add to the aubergine, and cook for another 2 minutes to soften them up a little too.

Add the tin of tomatoes, the feta cheese cut into cubes, and the handfuls of fresh herbs. Mix everything together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and take off the heat.

Transfer to an oven proof dish and sprinkle the grated cheese on top (I use cheddar, when I can , but here in Berlin I use Mozzarella or Emmental, both of which you can buy ready grated in our local discounter supermarket).

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese on top goes golden brown.

Serve with rice or crusty bread if you prefer. Couscous or quinoa would probably also work very well. I sprinkled some extra parsley on top to serve.

If you’re adding in the minced lamb, fry the lamb at the beginning before adding the aubergine and garlic.